Death is the Beginning
by Ancient Spirit
Summary: This is a completely original story. This is the prequel to Death is not the End. The whole first story is on media miner. Check out Fate's Blood. If you like that, you'll like this.


Day #1

(Early summer of sometime, somewhere in some dimension)

_You Can Only Get Reincarnated Once._

I sighed as I looked at my body. It was covered in lacerations. Pictures and other symbols were carved into my arm. I could tell some were letters, but I could not read. Overlapping crosses etched the surface of my chest.

I couldn't remember my rank, or for that matter, anything. I could tell I was not bone skinny, and I was muscular, so I concluded I might have been a merchant. I tried in vain to remember anything about what used to be my life. My shirt was mostly cut off, and bloody, but I could vaguely tell it was a light earthy color. It was very common, as I looked at farmers in the fields wearing about the same thing. On my current body, my shirt was completely gone. It would have fallen off anyway. My pants went down to mid calf. My body was tossed behind the rocks on the side of the road.

I glanced at the scenery. It was beautiful valley. The tiny town I was protected by rolling hills and a small waterfall behind a grand castle.

The castle was quite large. It had a dark marble protective wall with exotic animals carved into it meticulously. Inside the walls was an enormous stone building. There were three stone towers,with metal arrows. The main part of the building was stone, and was decorated with curving metal work, snakes and spiders. It was quite gothic.

I stopped enjoying the scenery and focused on getting someone to help me. I walked towards a nearby farmer. I called to him and waved my hands in the air. He didn't do anything and acted like nothing happened. I walked straight into and phased through him. All he did was barely shiver.

I screamed as loud as I could into the air. It's not like anyone would yell at me for being to loud.

* * *

I gazed out the window of my tower lazily. I became alert as I heard a loud yell near one of the fields. I called to one of my servants and asked if she a heard anything, but she said no.

From one of the fields, I saw a man, about my age, float off the ground and got near the castle. He didn't have a shirt on. His eyes met mine. I was not scared, just curious. Our eyes locked and he neared me more and more. When he got within earshot, I said, "Why are you not wearing a shirt?"

He looked shocked by my question, "Wait, wait. Of all questions you could have chosen from, you chose to ask why I'm not wearing a shirt." He started laughing hysterically. He floated so he was on his back and suddenly fell from mid air. He landed with a thud. I didn't flinch, I just watch him. He floated back up.

* * *

I looked at her clothing and realized I was being disrespectful to royalty. She had on a darker purple dress, with intricate embroidery like vines. Her chestnut colored hair was up in a complex way that must have taken at least the time it takes to grow a blade of grass. She was also quite pretty, so that gave me even more reason to be more formal. "I'm sorry milady. Have I caused you distress by my rood behavior?"

"Please, no formalities. I loath them. Treat me like any other person."

"Of course, milady."

"And one more thing, call me Brisa. What would you like me to call you?"

"I have no name, or more, I can't remember it at all. As you can see, I am dead." I put my hand through my chest to show. She nodded. "I forgot everything about my life. My age, my social ranking, even my name. It's frustrating."

"You don't have a name. What about John. It's such a common name it might be your real one."

"Okay. I like it." I thought about it for a second. It was an name I could live with. "Can I try something?" She nodded. I reached for Brisa's hand and let it fall through.

"That is quite interesting." She brought her hand up and let it slide through mine.

"It is. I think I might be able to make myself solid as well. I'm not positive, because I've only been this was for an hour. All I am sure I can do is float and go through people."

"That still is interesting. I know you do not remember anything, but how were you killed."

"When I came back, I was standing over my body. I was murdered, covered in lacerations. I was stabbed several times in the head and chest. I had extra scratches on my limbs. My murderers might have done that to cause me extra pain."

* * *

His tale was gruesome. I was glad he couldn't feel the pain anymore. That would be a horrid way to die. "I wonder why someone would like to murder you."

He shrugged. "I have no idea. My guess is as good as yours. Not that it matters any, but my body," he pointed to the side of the road, some ways away from our current location. "is behind those rocks. I don't think my existence was big enough for anyone to notice me missing."

"Against all I have been taught, I think all human existence is important." I had been taught that I was more important than any other girl in the area. I would ask why, and they would say because of what family I was born into. It bothered me that that was the only reason and that anybody could be me. No matter what I did, I would be better. "People are not in their right mind to think that anybody is better than anybody else."

"You have such a beautiful spirit." I could feel blood race to my cheeks. "Brisa, since you are the only person so far that can see me, can I stay here for a while?"

"You can stay here, but I will be leaving soon. I have an arranged marriage with a lord in the area, so I won't be here that much longer."

"When will he be coming?"

I became saddened. "He will be here within the week." I didn't want to leave, especially now that I knew that John would be alone. Being in a world were no one could see you would be awful.

"You sound so sad."

"I always wished I could marry the person I love, but I am engaged to a stranger. I'm not even sure of his name. It might be something like Luke. I wish I could run away and live my own life, without anyone deciding it for me." I swirled around the room. I released my hair from its confines, letting it spin around me. I would be so happy to be free.

"Can you ever leave the castle?"

"When I am about to get married, I will go to his castle to have the ceremony. Other than that, I have never gone past the walls and never will."

"I can take you away for a while." I was ecstatic!

"Can you, can you, can you?" I repeated over and over again.

"Calm down." he said gently. "I will, but you have to trust me. I'm not even sure I can pick up objects. Will you hand me a comb off that table, so I can practice?"

* * *

At first, it fell through my hand. Brisa patently picked it up and gave it to me. I gave up. "I'm not sure the comb will work, so will you put your hand up?" I figured if it was something I really wanted to touch, I could become solid.

"Of course." I focused as hard as I could on touching her. I suddenly felt her hand. "You did it!"

I was pleasantly surprised I could do it. "Can I try picking you up?"

"You have my permission."

"Your acting all princess like now."

"Well, I am." I lifted her three or four feet.

At that moment, I heard a shrill shriek. I assumed it must have been on of Brisa's servants. "Milady, why are you floating. Are you possessed?" She was panicking. She looked a bit younger than Brisa.

I slowly lowered her to the ground. Her voice was relaxed and controlled. "Alice, remember I told you to call me by my first name."

The servant calmed down. "Brisa, for a slave, you treat me so kindly." She was a slave! I don't think anybody in history treated a slave that well.

"You know my philosophy. All people are the same. Just because your family died when you were young, and you couldn't pay the death taxes, doesn't mean you are any different than anybody else."

"Yes Brisa. I have a question."

"I will answer your question."

"Why were you floating in the air?"

"Will you believe me if I tell you the truth?" Brisa was going to tell someone, 'the reason I was floating several feet in the air is because a dead boy appeared in my room, and said he would let me leave these walls for a while. Oh yeah, and I'm the only person who can see him.'

"You have never lied to me."

"I will not tell you, but you will figure it out. You know that I have never left the castle."

"Yes Brisa."

"Good. Go and walk," she pointed to the side of the road were my body was, "along the side of the road. Don't walk on the road, but on the grassy side. You will see something important. You cannot scream."

"What is it that I'm looking for."

"You will know it when you see it. If other servants ask where you are going, tell them I ordered you to get me flowers, understand?"

"I understand Brisa. I promise not to scream." Her tone changed to a more serious one. "I've seen dead bodies scattered on the battle field." Her tone turned chipper. "I think I'll spare you the details. Anyway, goodbye. I will see you soon." She scurried out of the room.

"Are you planning to traumatize the poor girl?"

"Not much can traumatize her. She saw her parents murdered when she seven years of age. She couldn't pay the death taxes, so she was to be put to death as payment. I begged my parents to let me keep her as a slave. So they didn't have to pay a servant. It took me days to convince them, but they eventually said I could. She's more of a friend than a slave, but my parents don't know that."

"She has had a trying life." I saw Alice leaving the castle. I assumed the guards must have threatened to kill her if she ran away because you usually don't let a slave out of your sight without a threat.

* * *

Alice's expression did not change once she came to the body. I did not expect her to anyway. She looked at it almost indifferently. She grabbed a flower, for the cover story, and returned to the castle. John did not do a thing, he simply watched.

"She's strong." I heard him murmur.

"Yeah. Death doesn't scare her for she was already emotionally dead when she came here. She does not cry and rarely laughs or smiles. It took me years to get her to do something that even vaguely resembles a smirk." My friend returned to the room.

Her voice was hollow and emotionless. It was the same voice she used so many years ago. John looked a bit stunned at her lack of life. "I saw the body. I have witnessed worse. How did you know it was there?"

"I didn't." I pointed to John. "He told me."

"How can a wall tell you where the deceased lay?"

"Not the wall. The boy you saw, he told me. I know I sound incredibly insane but it is the honest truth."

"You do sound insane." John added.

"Be quiet John." I quickly said to not disturb the conversation I was having with Alice.

"His name is John?" Life was returning to her voice. It was peaked with curiosity.

"Not really. He doesn't recall a single detail of when he was alive. I just gave him that name so I have something to call him."

"Brisa, may I try something on your friend."

"You may not cause harm. Other than that, you may do as you please. If you do, I will kill you once more." I did not know how to kill the deceased, but I would find a way if he ever hurt my precious friend.

"Brisa, what is he going to do." She became full of fear.

I calmed her. "You have no reason to be afraid; he is very kind. You are the only other person who knows about him so I think he might want to see if he can touch you."

"That is what I'm planning." I gave him a nod.

Alice sat on a chair I had near my be and closed her eyes to keep herself controlled.

John reached for her hand. It took him a few tries, but he could hold her hand in his. I felt a twinge a jealously that he could touch anybody else but me. It was odd I felt that way. "Brisa, please make him stop." Alice pleaded and whined. "I can't see him so I'm scared."

John pulled away from her; hurt evident in his eyes. "Alice, please leave for some time."

She bowed her head, a formal thing for a servant to do. I would have told her not, but it was purely habit from her training. "Yes Brisa." She left slightly faster than she could have.

"John, sit down." He did so like an obedient little puppy. "Don't worry about Alice. She is strong, but very superstitious. I'm surprised that she didn't scream and run out of the room. I suspect she is going to do a couple hundred prayers to cleanse herself." I realized I was doing more bad than good. John slumped down and put his head in his hands. He let out a heavy sigh.

"I should not have even tried. She is upset and saying a million prayers because I was selfish."

"I would have done the same thing in your position. If you don't want her to do that again, then just I guess I will be the only one you talk to. I don't trust anyone else with knowing about you and not locking me in the dungeon until I get my sanity back."

"That sounds fine. All I want is to not cause anymore unnecessary trouble."

* * *

I really hated myself. It wasn't a great distain, just pure hatred of myself. Alice was so scared and frightened of me. I was a me Brisa, will you let me scream?"

"If you need to." She said gently.

I screamed with all my might to get rid of all my frustration, all of my anger. I collapsed from the sudden amount of energy I exerted.

"John." She seemed weak. "I would ask you not to do that again. I tried to cover my ears, but it was like you scream was in my head. It almost boiled my brains." I had done yet another thing to hurt someone. Brisa noticed this. She reached out to touch me. "It's not your fault. You had no idea. I think this might be a power of yours. You might be able to talk to me across the world, whispering. Isn't that amazing!"

She could find the best in every bad situation. "I could be, but that doesn't change the fact that I hurt you."

She simply said, "You didn't hurt me as the people who killed you did you."

"I don't remember the pain from my death."

"I have a feeling you will remember sometime. You can't be oblivious to your life for the rest of eternity."

"I can, if god is trying to torture me."

"You feel tortured being with me?" Brisa looked dejected. It sounded more like something you would say to a lover, but I could understand why she would say that in this situation.

"No, I will be tortured by not knowing what I was like in my life. I wouldn't pick a more tender soul to stay with after death even if I could choose." It was the truth. If you are a princess and accept a slave to be your friend, that is truly remarkable.

"Thank you for the complement."

"Would you still like to fly away for a bit. We have some time till the sun sets."

"Of course, baka."

"Baka." I repeated "I am not familiar with that word. Of what origin is it?"

"It is of the Japanese origin. It means idiot, stupid and fool."

"I do not particularity enjoy being called any of those names."

"I only use 'baka' with close friends, so think of it as an informal complement."

"Just forget it. Are you ready to go?"

"No. I have to change into clothes that fit this excursion. I don't want to show everybody what is under my dress."

"I think I may be able to make you transparent like me to normal people." I touched her hand and concentrated on making her see through.

"That is intriguing." She could phase her hands through each other.

"I apologize. I might have temporarily made you like me." That was interesting. I could have never dreamed I could do that. "Look in the mirror to see if you reflect. If you don't, we will leave."

* * *

I stared at the mirror and it was as if I was not even present. "Good." I was caught off guard that he was behind me right at that.

I very clumsily screamed and fell on the floor. "Don't scare me like that. I couldn't tell you were behind me."

"Once again, I apologize." He looked up, not looking at me. "I do not wish to embarrass you but you might want to pull your dress down." I saw that my dress was pulled up in a very unladylike way. I blushed bright red.

"If that was a painters color, I would call it 'embarrassment 87.'"

"That is no fair. I will get you back someday."

"Life is not fair."

I thought for a moment about how true his words were. It wasn't fair that I was locked in this tower. It wasn't fair that my life was arranged for me from the time I was but a small child. It wasn't fair to Alice that she was a slave because of things she could not control. I thought of my fiance. His life was laied out for him like mine. He had no choice in deciding to be wed to me. "You are entirely right. Life is unfair because of the things we can't control."

"I've never thought that to be the reason but I believe you are correct. If we controlled everything in our life, life would be fair for us but not others. Nobles control their lives and make everybody's miserable."

I snapped out of my serious train of thought. "Are we going or what. I desperately want to leave these walls, even for a few minutes."

He decided to act like a prince. Maybe it was to make up for making fun of me. "As you command, princess." He bowed at the end. He grasped my hand and lifted us both a few inches from the ground. He pulled us closer and closer to the balcony. We passed through the balcony and entered into the sky. "Is it marvelous. Imagine falling from this hight."

"Oh, I remember when I made you fall. I..." He cut me off.

"No need. It was just an incredibly hilarious way to begin a conversation. Do you start all conversations like that?"

"No. I have never seen anyone without a shirt before." I couldn't help a blush as is crept on my cheeks.

"I would call that a good 'embarrassment 18.'"

* * *

Brisa whined. "Please stop saying those embarrassing things."

"It is payback for calling me names." I looked down at the scenery below.

"John, I have seen painted pictures of things life this, but this is incomparable."

"Same here. I don't remember anything so that might make it more amazing. Do you want to stop in that waterfall?"

"That sounds wonderful."

We landed daintily on the grassy area next to the water. Mist at the bottom created the illusion of rainbows. The sound of of the colliding water could be heard.

I decided to inspect the area to insure it was clear of hazards because Brisa _was_ still mortal. "Brisa, stay here and don't move." She was too busy in her own little world at the time. I left her and wandered.

First, I plunged myself into the clear, blue water. It felt the same as when I was floating. I could feel the faint caress of water within my body. I saw brightly colored fish swim by without a care. Animals ,appently, couldn't see me either. The water six or seven feet in depth. Smooth rockes covered the bottom. I relaxed in the tranquility of the water for a second. I needed it. I had have a very difficult first few hours of death. I heard Brisa's voice. "Where are you. I heard you say to stay where I am but where are you?"

"I'm in the water. It's very comfortable here. I don't have to breathe so I don't need to come up for air."

"I wish I could come with you." She said dreamily.

"You can. I can make sure you get back to the surface when you need to breathe."

There was a pause of silence in which I came to the surface. Only my head was out of the water. "I would like to do that. This signal," she swiped her arm upward, "means I need air."

"Understood." I rose the rest of the way out of the water and put my hand out for Brisa to hold on to. I lifted her off the ground and slowly lowered her into the water. "You cannot become uneasy. You must remain calm and remember the signal when we need to resurface."

"Yes."

* * *

I wondered as to when my feet would touch the water. The sensation never came. I saw the entirity of me covered in water, yet I felt not a thing. I could breath normally. It was like I was encased in a protective air shell that kept me from harm. "John, I can breathe. I think you are unintentionally protecting me."

"That is strange. Your dress is not even a drop wet. That will eliminate all explanation as to why you would be sopping like a drowned cat."

"True. It is brilliant down here. I recall my tutors saying that fish of these kind often are found in this big body of water called the ocean. I've never been there so …...." I stopped. I could no longer breathe. Water entered my lungs at an alarming pace and my skin and dress become wet. I attempted to hold my breath, but it was futile. I became limp and unable to move. I closed eyes, I figured, for the last time.

* * *

And this concludes the first chapter of the prequel. I thought it might be good if I just got this chapter up. Thanks to my four fans that have followed my. I have a mature sequel about Alex when he gets in high school. It's told from the girl's point of view.


End file.
